City countdown to Christmas begins
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THE countdown to Christmas in Inverness will begin officially on Sunday evening when thousands are expected to take part in the switch-on of the Christmas lights in the city centre.
It will begin with a traditional torchlit procession led by Santa and Inverness Provost Helen Carmichael and escorted by mascots including Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story who will be making their first visit to the event.
Families are asked to make their way to Crown Primary School from 5pm to buy their torches and take their places behind members of the City of Inverness Senior and Youth Pipe Bands who will be competing amongst themselves to see who can be the most outrageously decorated.
The procession will set off from the school at 5.45pm and will travel down Stephens Brae to High Street.
After arriving there, the children will be invited to help Santa turn on the Christmas lights with a series of boisterous countdowns led by host Nicola McAlley of STV.
After each section has twinkled into life, members of the procession will gather outside Inverness Town House where they will get their first glimpse of the colourful lighting scheme which was recently installed during the building’s refurbishment.
After the Christmas and Town House lights have been switched on, Santa and the provost will join families for the traditional Christmas carol service Ding Dong Merrily Old High.
It will start at 6.30pm in the Old High Church.
Councillor Bet McAllister is a member of the Inverness Events and Festivals Working Group.
“The Christmas lights torchlight procession is one of the most popular events in our Winter Festival programme for the younger members of our community and we are looking forward to creating something really magical for them to enjoy,” she said.
